Holy Thursday: 2024


(Click image to see full-scale.)

Wilhelm Marstrand
Kiss of Judas, n.d. (after 1860)
Oil on canvas, 57 x 51 cm.
The Nivaagaard Collection – Denmark

With dynamic brush strokes, dimmed lighting and a dramatic composition, Marstrand has depicted the moment of Judas’ betrayal of Christ. In the Garden of Gethsemane, Judas has just identified Christ to the soldiers by means of a kiss. With weapons and torches in hand, the menacing soldiers have gathered around the company, ready to arrest him. Marstrand has depicted Judas in a stooped posture to emphasise his treasonous but also guilt-inducing act of betrayal. This stands in sharp contrast to the depiction of Christ, who with his straight posture, calm expression and stoicism radiates an acceptance of his ultimate fate. Marstrand amplifies the dramatic nature of this fateful scene by painting the entire composition in a sombre colour palette, only broken by a single light from a torch. The format suggests that the picture is a sketch for an altarpiece.

St. Patrick’s Day 2024

Today is Saint Patrick’s day so I wanted to share one of my favorite poems about Ireland. This poem memorializes those who fought for freedom and independence in Ireland and the Easter week rebellion, which started on Easter Monday April 16, 1916. The poet insists their deaths were not in vain, as they are forever a symbol of hope and independence from colonial rule in Ireland. It was not that long ago that Irish language, music, religion, and culture were outlawed by the British, and while Saint Patrick’s day is a great day to celebrate all things green … it’s also a day to remember the strength of the Irish people who fought for the future for their culture and people.

Easter Week
By Joyce Kilmer
(In memory of Joseph Mary Plunkett)

(“Romantic Ireland’s dead and gone,
It’s with O’Leary in the grave.”)
—William Butler Yeats.

“Romantic Ireland’s dead and gone,
It’s with O’Leary in the grave.”
Then, Yeats, what gave that Easter dawn
A hue so radiantly brave?

There was a rain of blood that day,
Red rain in gay blue April weather.
It blessed the earth till it gave birth
To valour thick as blooms of heather.

Romantic Ireland never dies!
O’Leary lies in fertile ground,
And songs and spears throughout the years
Rise up where patriot graves are found.

Immortal patriots newly dead
And ye that bled in bygone years,
What banners rise before your eyes?
What is the tune that greets your ears?

The young Republic’s banners smile
For many a mile where troops convene.
O’Connell street is loudly sweet
With strains of Wearing of the Green.

The soil of Ireland throbs and glows
With life that knows the hour is here
To strike again like Irishmen
For that which Irishmen hold dear.

Lord Edward leaves his resting place
And Sarsfield’s face is glad and fierce.
See Emmet leap from troubled sleep
To grasp the hand of Padraic Pearse!

There is no rope can strangle song
And not for long death takes his toll.
No prison bars can dim the stars
Nor quicklime eat the living soul.

Romantic Ireland is not old.
For years untold her youth shall shine.
Her heart is fed on Heavenly bread,
The blood of martyrs is her wine.

Saturday Quote

Frederick, Prince of Wales (1707 – 1751) epigram (quoted by William Makepeace Thackeray, “Four Georges”):

“Here lies poor Fred who was alive and is dead,
Had it been his father I had much rather,
Had it been his sister nobody would have missed her,
Had it been his brother, still better than another,
Had it been the whole generation, so much better for the nation,
But since it is Fred who was alive and is dead,
There is no more to be said!”

Because Frederick died before his father, King George II, his son would inherit the throne and become King George III. George III was king of England during the Revolutionary War.

Lake George Land Conservancy Awarded $4.15M for Water Quality Protection


This pond in the Town of Bolton will soon be permanently protected by the LGLC with support from the recently announced grants from NYS DEC.

The Lake George Land Conservancy (LGLC) is pleased to announce that it has been awarded grants totaling $4.15 million for land acquisition for source water protection from the Water Quality Improvement Project (WQIP) grant program administered by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).

The LGLC will use $3.5 million of the grant funds to permanently protect over 700 acres in the Indian Brook sub-watershed region of the Town of Bolton. Maintaining forested buffers around the streams and wetlands of this area will prevent erosion, filter sediment and pollutants from stormwater, and aid with flood resiliency.

The remaining grant funds will be directed toward the purchase of a 73-acre forested property in the Town of Lake George. This property contains 1,545 feet of streams with a healthy vegetated buffer that will further safeguard the water quality of Lake George, a drinking water source, and the surrounding watershed.

LGLC Executive Director Michael Horn said, “We are grateful to New York State and Governor Hochul for supporting our work to protect Lake George by protecting the land around it. By keeping our forests healthy and whole, we’re allowing the land to do what it does best – filter water, reduce pollution, and prevent stormwater issues downstream.

“With these grants we will be able to advance a number of projects over the next few years, but there is still much work to be done, including raising the more than $1 million in required matching funds.”

Land conservation is an efficient, cost-effective tool for protecting water quality. By focusing efforts on the most sensitive wetlands, streams, slopes, and shoreline, it can prevent costly issues that may arise from poorly designed development, non-porous infrastructure, and severe weather events.

These grants are part of a $166 million total announcement by NYS DEC for 187 projects statewide that will help protect drinking water, update aging water infrastructure, combat contributors to harmful algal blooms, and improve aquatic habitat.

The B.O.A.R Needs You

The Town of Dresden is currently looking to fill positions on the B.O.A.R. (Board of Assessment Review)

Must be at least 18 years of age
Citizen of the United States
Resident of Dresden
Pays $100 for 1 day a year

Please contact Laura Chadwick at dreassessorlc@gmail.com

Lake George Land Conservancy Receives $86k Grant to Manage Invasive Hemlock Woolly Adelgid on Protected Land in Putnam


An infested hemlock branch showing the woolly masses of hemlock woolly adelgid, found at the LGLC’s protected Clark Hollow Bay Preserve in Putnam.

The Lake George Land Conservancy (LGLC) is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a grant of $86,215 to support the LGLC’s rapid response and management efforts to control the invasive hemlock woolly adelgid (HWA) on its Clark Hollow Bay Preserve in the Town of Putnam. The LGLC’s Land Steward discovered an infestation of HWA at its recently acquired 60-acre Clark Hollow Bay property in the spring of 2023. This was the first time HWA had been found on LGLC protected property, and is at the northern frontier of the HWA infestation at Lake George and in the Adirondack Park.

Hemlock trees play an important role in the forests where they grow, preventing soil erosion and providing habitat for both terrestrial and aquatic wildlife. Left alone, HWA will kill hemlocks within five to ten years, making early detection critical to effective management.

Hemlocks are a dominant tree species in much of the forest surrounding Lake George, making HWA especially dangerous for the preservation of water quality and health of the whole lake ecosystem.

This summer, LGLC staff identified 108 trees with known HWA infestations on the Clark Hollow Bay Preserve; the actual number of infested trees is estimated to be at least doubled, when taking into account those trees that were inaccessible for evaluation.


Dr. Mark Whitmore of the New York State Hemlock Initiative joined LGLC staff in 2023 to confirm the presence of hemlock woolly adelgid at the Clark Hollow Bay Preserve.

The LGLC’s HWA management plan for the Clark Hollow Bay Preserve includes the use of both biological controls for long-term management, and chemical controls in the short-term. In partnership with the New York State Hemlock Initiative (NYSHI), the LGLC released Laricobius nigrinus beetles on the property in fall of 2023. The beetle is native to the Pacific Northwest and preys exclusively upon HWA. Highly controlled chemical application was also conducted on the property with help from the Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program (APIPP).

The grant will fund three years of additional monitoring and management activity at the Clark Hollow Bay Preserve.

LGLC Executive Director Mike Horn said, “With this funding we are able to combat hemlock woolly adelgid on this important protected property. We are grateful to the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, as well as the resources and expertise provided by NYSHI and APIPP, for making this work possible.”

This grant is part of the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation’s Invasive Species Grant Program, which provides funding for aquatic and terrestrial invasive species spread prevention, early detection and rapid response, lake management planning, research, and education and outreach.

The Invasive Species Grant Program is supported by the State’s Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) and administered by the Bureau of Invasive Species and Ecosystem Health in DEC’s Division of Lands and Forests. For more information, please visit DEC’s website.

Statement From Senator Dan Stec on Governor Hochul’s 2024-25 Executive Budget Presentation

“In the days ahead, I look forward to reading the particulars of Governor Hochul’s budget proposal. But after watching her presentation and an initial reading of the plan, here’s what stands out.

“I was glad to hear the governor acknowledge that our state has a looming budget deficit and that New York has a robust reserve fund, but ultimately this budget plan does nothing to address that impending problem. Proposed spending is $233 billion, a 4.5-percent increase over last year’s record-setting budget. Combined with an acknowledged $6 billion in lost tax receipts due to our state’s ongoing outmigration woes and despite some fuzzy math that shows a budget surplus instead of an anticipated deficit, this is ultimately a costly proposal that does nothing to alleviate New York’s long-term financial difficulties and right the ship going forward.

“The most glaring item in this budget presentation is the $2.4 billion in funding for the migrant crisis. This issue has been handled poorly by the governor, New York City Eric Adams and the current presidential administration and our taxpayers continue to bear the brunt of this. I’m particularly concerned by the fact that $500 million of this is coming from the state’s reserve fund. This is aid that should be going to legal residents and taxpayers, whether that means tax relief to combat rising costs, assist our struggling nursing homes or economic development initiatives.

“New York State needs to address Medicaid spending. During this presentation, the governor acknowledged that the state went more than $1 billion over budget with Medicaid spending in the last fiscal year. While it was good to hear the governor acknowledge the enormous costs associated with our Medicaid system, I did not hear anything in her plan that would substantively address it and lower costs for both state and local governments.

“On a more positive side, I was pleased to see the governor allocate funding for ORDA in Lake Placid, ensuring the facilities there remain world-class. I am also encouraged by the proposal to use state-owned lands and facilities, such as closed correctional facilities, as part of an affordable housing strategy. That development, however, is offset by the fact that her proposal contains language authorizing further correctional facility closures. If this comes to fruition, it could potentially have a detrimental impact on our region.

“Obviously, this presentation is only the beginning of the budget process. In the weeks ahead, I plan on working with my legislative colleagues and the governor to ensure a final budget meets the needs of our taxpayers and charts a responsible fiscal future for New York.”